-Flashlight Storage-

[Rossymeister]

Do You Keep Batteries In Your Lights That Are Not Frequently Used?

And If So,What Chemistry?


For Me, I Only Store My Lights With Lithium Batteries... I Try And Stay Away From Alkaline, Too Many Leakage Problems.

Thanks

-Aaron

 

[umc]

95% of my lights have CR123A's in them, the other 5% are AA or AAA and have Enloops in them.

I've never had a problem with the 123a lights and don't expect to even though I've read here that a lot of folks take the batteries out.

My thinking is that CR123A's have a shelf life of about 10 years, Surefire ships their lights with batteries having no idea how long that light may sit before being bought/used. So if it's good for Surefire it's good for me.

 

[Oddjob]

I think the absolute safest thing is to store them with the batteries out if the light is going to sit unused for a long time. The possibilities of anything happening is pretty slim but with the batteries out, there is no possibility of problems (unless the batteries themselves are stored improperly). Certainly multi cell lights should be stored without batteries especially if you are not in the habit of matching cells.

 

[Patriot]

I agree with Oddjob. If the flashlight is just sitting in storage, like put away in a safe or shoe box on a closet shelf, it makes a lot more sense to store the batteries separately. We've seen too many close calls with lithium batteries now and some of them were not even the old, made in china, Battery Station ones. We've seen in in single cell lights too.

 

[Rossymeister]

Thanks For The Replies.

I Have Read Quite A Few Threads On Lithium Battery Explosions.

But Are These Linked To User Error? Or Manufacturing Defects?

Thanks

-Aaron

 

[warlord]

But Are These Linked To User Error? Or Manufacturing Defects?

They could be either. There are no guarantees that even a well made quality battery won't malfunction. It's just that buying low quality batteries with poorly refined materials will increase the odds.

IMO, if you like a particular flashlight you won't store it with alkalines in them. I do have a few flashlights on the shelf with NiMH's, Li-ion, and lithiums in them but they still get exercised several times a week. If my collection gets so large that I have a few shelf queens they'll be stored without batteries. But right now I'm not really a collecter...I'm a user.

 

[gallonoffuel]

Out of laziness, I usually leave the batteries in. This has only burned me once, on a MiniMag that had its Duracell AA's swell up and leak. It took a good 2 hours of pounding, cleaning, and pounding some more to free them. I think those batteries were in there for about 2 years and I never really used the light. None of my CR123 lights have ever had this issue.

 

[oldblazer]

About half of my lights are stored empty; these are also the lights that live on top of a tall display cabinet and are not used frequently.

About 1/4 of my lights are stored loaded with NiMH cells and are checked visually about every two months and are discharged/charged (if not regularly rotated during EDC) using a Vanson BC1HU system to maintain condition of cells. I got into the discharge/charge cycle when I used NiCd cells and have just continued the tradition.

About 1/4 of my lights are stored with alkalines and I've had to clean numerous messes caused by leaky alky cells of all manufacturers. I like to keep a few alkalines around in the event that I forget to check NiMH cells in the light "I just need to use right now" and I can't wait to run the cells through the discharge/charge cycle; plus my wife refuses to used rechargeables - she does not want to remember when and/or if she charged cells, she just wants a light is likely to work when she needs it.

 

[swampgator]

Most of my lights are stored with batteries so that the family can use them when needed. Most have alkalines in, but I check them frequently.

 

[Tempest UK]

All of my lights are stored with the batteries (SF123a 99% of the time) inside them. If the light is particularly rarely used, then I might take the batteries out to use in another light that needs them more, rather than opening a new pack of cells.

As long as you take, for example, 2 SF123a from a 2x123a light to put into another 123a light, you're not going to get mismatching problems. But I'd only use the cells in a light that uses the same number.

Regards,
Tempest

 

[Rossymeister]

Again, Thanks For The Replies.

Alot Of Useful Information Here.

-Aaron